Apparatus for burning and hardening incandescent mantles.



E. L. KNOEDLER.

APPARATUS FOR BURNING AND HARDENING INCANDESCENT MANTLES.

APPLICA'HQN FILED SEPT- 30. 19l3- 1,172,61 1 Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Tm: CDLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

E. L. KNOEDLER.

APPARATUS FOR BURNING AND HARDENING INCANDESCENT MANTLES.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 30, 1913.

1, 172,61 1 Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR WQMW (TM/M811,

E. L. KNOEDLER.

APPARATUS FOR BURNING AND HABDENING INCANDESCENT MANTLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 3.0, 1913.

Patented Feb. 22,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

QQQMWKK W WITNESSES THE COLU MBIA PLANOURAPH can, WASHINGTON. D. c.

E. L. KNOEDLER. APPARATUS FOR BURNING AND HARDENING INCANDESCENT MANTLES- APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 30. I913- 1,172,61 1.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

THE cOLUMmA PLANOGRAPH cm, WASHINGTON, D. c.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IELMER L. KNOEDLER, or GLOUCESTER cIrinEw JEnsnY, Assrenon. '10 wELsBAcH LIGHT COMPANY, or GLOUCESTER CITY, NEW JERSEY, n CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR BURNING- AND HARDEliTING INCANDESCENT MANTLES.

Application filed September 30. 1913. Serial No. 792,582.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, ELMER L. KNOEDLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gloucester City, Camden county, New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Burning and Hardening Incandescent Mantles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan View; Fig. 3 is an end view; Figs. 4; and 5 are detail views, Fig. 4 showing the mantle burned off and ready to be hardened, while Fig. 5 shows the mantle completely hard-' ened; Figs. a and 5 also showing the tray or carrier in different positions. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of a part of the actuating mechanism; Fig. 8 is a plan view of a portion of a tray or carrier; and 9 is a section on the line IXIX of Fig. 8.

My invention has relation to apparatus for burning and hardening incandescent mantles; and more particularly to apparatus for use in hardening the mantles in muflles of the character described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 7%),655, filed February 20, 1913. These muffles are adapted to receive and contain the mantle during the hardening operation, and they are so constructed, as more fully described in my said application, as to permit of the escape of just suflicient of the products of combustion from the hardening burners to form between the inner wall of the muffie and the mantle a resistant cushion of the products of combustion and against which the mantle is shaped and hardened. This intervening cushion of hot gases holds the mantle entirely out of contact With-the mufile and enables very complete oxidation to take place in the mantle.

The present invention is designed more especially to provide a machine or apparatus by means of which a plurality of mantles may be simultaneously hardened and shaped in muflies of this character. It is also designed to provide means of simple and convenient character for transferring the mantles from the position in which they are burned to the mufiles, and for removing the hardened mantles from the mufiies. The

Specification. of Letters Patent. v

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

invention also provides means for accurately centering the mantles within the mufiles, this, being an .importantfeature of the invention. Heretofore, considerable difficulty has been experienced-in the centering operation, due to the heating of the guiding elements whereby perfect centering was prevented. My. invention overcomes this dlfiiculty by providing guiding means which are so constructed and arranged as not to become heated'and which will have a proper centering actionat all times. 7

Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

Referringto the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 2 designates the frame of the machine, which is pros vided at its upper rear portion with, a burner pipe 3' having a plurality of burners 4 which are used in the preliminary burning operation, as hereinafter described.

5 designates the air supply pipe for the burners 4; and 6 is'the gas supply pipe for said burners.

7 designates the series of mufl'les which are of the character above referred to and more fully described in my said copending application. They conform generally to the contour of the finished mantle, but are of sufiiciently greater cross-sectional area so that there is an intervening space left between The walls of the muflie are perforated, these perforations being of such area as to permit of the retention within the rnuflie of the proper cushioning of hot gases while permitting theescape of enough of the gases to prevent back pressure within the mufl'le of a nature to cause the mantles to collapse. These mufiles are arranged in series along the front of the machine. In the present instance they are shown as mounted upon a wheeled carriage 8 adapted to be moved back and forth upon a suitable frame or tracks 9. This frame, or tracks, can be raised or lowered by means of a suitable lever 10, so as to properly locate the mantles with reference to the hardening burners 11. A series of these burners is provided, one for each mufile. 'Each burner is carried by a branch pipe 12 leading from a. gas manifold portion of the shaft 23.

13 and having a connection 14 with an air manifold 15. The air manifold is supplied by a pipe 16 at one end of the machine, while the gas manifold is supplied by the pipe 17 at the other end of the machine.

The pipe 16 has a control valve 18, and the pipe 17 has a control. valve 19. Each of these valves is normally held closed by a.

weighted arm. 20 attached to the stemof the valve. The valves are automatically opened by means of cams 21 and 22, which are mounted on opposite end portions of a longitudinal shaft 23. This shaft is driven from any suitable source of power. In the drawing, 1 have shown a countershaft 23- provided with a belt wheel 24 loosely mounted thereon and having clutch projections 25 adapted to engage a clutch member 26. This member 26 is mounted to rotate with the shaft 23, but is capable of a longitudinal movement thereon, and is normally held in clutching engagement with the clutch projections of the wheel 24: by the springs 27 28 is a yoke connected to the member 26,

and carrying a stop pin 29 adapted to be engaged by a pin or projection30 on a worm wheel 31 mounted on the shaft 23. The wheel 31 is driven by a worm 33 on one end The pin 29 is mounted in a rocking bearing 3% adapted to be actuated by the link 35 connected to a hand lever 36;

In operation the shaft 23 will continue to rotate until the pin: 30 engages the stop pin 29, and thereby actuates the yoke 28 to release the clutch against the action. of the springs 27. 'During this period, the cams 21, 22 will have held the valves Band 19 open. These cams are, however, so timed that when the shaft ceases to rotate their high portions will leave the operating arms 19 on the valve stems, and the valves will be closed by the actionof the counterweights. The shafts 23 and 23 will remain idle until such time as the hand. lever 36 is operated to move the stop pin 29 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fi 7. The springs will then cause the reengagement of the clutch, and the shaft 23 will again commence to revolve.

It will be seen by reference toFig. 3 that the cams are so shaped and timed that for a short period of time a small flame is fed into the mufiies, which will heat up the refractory supporting rings of the mantles gradually, and thereafter the flame is rapidly increased to blow out the mantle and harden and shape it. In this way the tendency to break the rings is avoided, which would take place to a considerable extent,

if short hot flames were suddenly turned on without the preliminary heating up.

During the preliminary burning, and also during the hardening and shaping operations, the mantles are supported by their the cams 22 cease to act thereon.

lugs 37 on loose plates 38, these plates resting on supports 39 of a tray or carrier lO. (See Figs. 4, 5, 8 and 9.) During the preliminary burning operation, this tray or carrier rests on the upper supporting portion 2 of the frame over theburners l. As soon as the preliminary burning is completed, the tray is moved forwardly on. the supporting portion 2, and is then moved to transfer the mantles to the muflles. For this purpose the tray is lowered onto vertical guiding rods 41, which are mounted on the carriage 8. The tray or carrier is provided with holes 42 to receive these guide rods. Preferably one of the holes and guide rods is located at one end of the tray and the other at the central portion thereof, so as to shorten the distance between the two rods and thereby minimize the amount ofeX- pansion and contraction in the portion of the tray between them. It is essential for the proper centering of the mantles within the muflles that these holes and lrods shall accurately register with each other. As the tray is lowered on these guide rods, the loose plates come to a position of rest on the muflies in the position shown in Fig. .5, and the tray or carrier itself moves down onto the carriage 8 to the position shown in Fig,

4:. In this manner the tray or carrier is verv largely removed from the action. of the burners and is subject to very little expansionand contraction. This insures accurate centering of the mantles in the mufile, no particular care on the part of the operator being required. for this purpose. After the hardening and burning operation is completed the tray or carrier is lifted, thereby lifting the entire series of plates with the mantles suspended therefronn The muflies may be provided with the spring supports 43, mounted on the frame member 9.

The operation of the apparatus will be understood from the foregoing. A plurality of mantles is given the preliminary burn,- ing operation, and without removing them from the tray, the tray is pushed across the portion 2 of the frame, and with its mantles is then transferred onto the carriage S in the manner just described. The operator then moves the carriage underneath the hardening burners, and then actuates the lever 36 to throw the starting clutch into operation. The air and gas valves are thus automatically opened. and remain open until They are then automatically closed. and the shafts 23 and 23 come to rest. Theoperator then lifts the tray to raise the entire series. of mantles out of the muffles, and the apparatus is ready for the neXt operation.

The apparatus is exceedingly simple in its construction and operation, and provides means whereby a plurality of mantles may be. simultaneously burned and then simul- ,ity of product.

taneously hardened and shaped with a minimum of handling and without skilled labor. One adjustment of the gas and air valves controls the supply of air and gas for all the hardening burners; and inasmuch as the gas and air valves are opened and closed automatically, each mantle is treated for the same length of time, thus insuring uniform- This uniformity of prodnot is further obtained by the construction of the muflles, as more fully described in my application above referred to. As a result, I am able to produce mantles in large numbers, each one of which is in all essential respects a duplicate of the others. The mantles being inclosed within the muffies while being hardened are not subject to dis torting outside influences such as drafts of air, and the perfection of the product is in no way dependent upon the judgment of the operator.

It will be understood that many changes can be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the claims. Thus, the preliminary burning may take place on a machine which is structurally independent of the apparatus for hardening and burning; any suitable clutch mechanism and automatic valve-actuating mechanism may be employed; instead of using separate gas and air supply pipes, pressure gas may be employed; and various other changes may be made in the details.

I claim 1. In apparatus for hardening and shaping mantles, a series of mufiles, supporting ieans therefor, a holder for a series of mantles, said holder and the muliles being capable of a relative vertical movement, and the holder having openings which will pass the upper portions of the mufiles, said holder also having a separate support for each mantle, said supports being movably seated in said openings and each having means for engaging and supporting the ring of a mantle, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for hardening and shaping mantles, the combination with a group of mufiles, and a burner for each mufile, of a holder for a group of mantle supports, and a separate support for each mantle removably mounted on said holder, each of said supports having means for engaging and supporting the ring of a mantle, and each of said supports also having means for separately centering it with respect to its corresponding Inulfie together with means for seating each support over a mufile independently of said holder, substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for hardening and shaping mantles, the combination with a plurality of separate muffles, of a movable mantle carrier having seats for a plurality of be individually centered on its seat with respect to one of the mufiies, together with means for seating each support over a mufiie independently of said holder, substantially as described.

a. .In apparatus for hardening and shaping mantles, a plurality of muille cavities arranged to receive the mantles, a support or carrier for a plurality of mantles, and separate centering means for each mantle engaging its respective mufiie arranged to center the mantles individually within the individual mufile cavities, substantially as described.

5. Apparatus for hardening and shaping mantles, comprising a muffle support, a plurality of mutHes on said support, a mantle carrier, and a plurality of mantle holders arranged to be movably seated on said carrier, and the mufile support also having means for seating the mantle holders, substantially as described. 1

6. Apparatus for shaping and hardening mantles, comprising a mulile support having raised supporting portions, mutfles seated on said supporting portions, a mantle carrier having openings adapted to fit over the raisedmufile-supporting portions, and sepa rate mantle supports adapted to'be seated on said carrier and also to be carried on the muffle supports, substantially as described. I a

7 Appa1'atus for hardening and shaping mantles, comprising a series of muflies within which the hardening and shaping is effected, means for simultaneously raising andlowermg a series 0t mantles lnto and out of the muffles, and means for simultathe mantles out of contact therewith-during the hardening and shaping operat ns; substantially as described. 1

8. In apparatus for treating gas mantles, a tray or carrier having a plurality of loose mantle-supporting plates; substantially as described. I

9. A machine for treating incandescent gas mantles, comprising a tray or carrier having a plurality of vertically movable loose plates thereon, each of said plates having means for supporting a mantle; substantially as described. I

10. In apparatus for treating incandescent gas mantles, the combination with a series of mufiles in which the mantles are shaped and hardened, of a movable tray or carrier, a plurality of loose plates adapted to be supported on the tray or carrier, and also to be supported on themuilles, each of said plates having mantle-supporting means, and means whereby the tray or carrier may be moved away from the plates When the latter are supported by the mutlles; substantially as described.

11.. In apparatus of the character described, the combination With a series of hardening burners, of a carriage movable transversely With respect to the burners, and a plurality of muflies mounted on said can riage, together With means for simulta-' neously inserting and removing mantles from all the mufi les; substantially as described.

12. In apparatus for hardening and shaping mantles, a muffle support, a plurality of inutlle cavities, a support for a plurality of mantles, said supports being movable relative to each other, and cooperating guiding and centering means upon the muflle support and the mantle support, respectively, arranged to engage each other during the relative movement of said supports, substantially as described.

13. In apparatus for hardening and shaping incandescent mantles, a support for a plurality of mantles, having a separate loose support thereon for each mantle, a muffle support, and muilles having means cooperating With the loose plates for centering each mantle in its individual muffle cavity, substantially as described.

1%. In apparatus for hardening and shaping mantles, a support for a plurality of mullles, a support for a plurality of mantles, and a separate support loose on the general mantle support for carrying each mantle, said individual. mantle supports being movable vertically relative to the general mantle support during movement of the mantles and mullies relative to each other, substantially as described.

15. In apparatus for hardening and shaping mantles, a series of burners, a carrier havinga series of mullle cavities, said carrier being movable into and out of the vertical plane of the burners, and said burners and mutl'les being capable of relative movement toward and from each other, substantially as described.

16. In apparatus for hardening and shaping mantles, a series of burners, a support carrying a series of mullie cavities, and a mantle support, the mantle support and the muflle support being movable into and out of the vertical plane of the burners, substantially as described.

17. In apparatus for hardening and shap-. ing mantles, the combination of a mufltle sup-. port, a plurality of muflles carried thereby,

port, a plurality of mufiles carried thereby, a

mantle carrier having openings arranged to fit over the upper portions of the muifies, and a plurality of mantle supports on said carrier and adapted to be loosely supported on the mantle carrier and also on the muflle support, together with means whereby each of the mantle supports is separately centered with respect to a corresponding muille When such mantle support is seated on the muflie support. substantially as described.

20. In apparatus for hardening and shaping-mantles, a series of burners, a series of muffies, a support for a series ofmantles, connections for furnishing fuel to the burners, and automatic mechanism arranged to automatically turn on a relatively small proportion. of fuel to give a heating up flame, and thereafter'increase the amount of fuel to give the full hardening and shaping flame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set ELMER L. KNOEDLER'.

my hand.

lVitnesses:

J. H. JOHNSON, L. F. BOMI-IOFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

